Water Bureau

Service Area Summaries > Public Works > Water Bureau -- 56 pages · pp. 942-997 ↗

Intro (~6,222 tokens, spilled to sibling files): pp. 942-951 · PDF ↗

Section	PDF pages	Description
[doc] Bull Run Watershed	pp. 952-953 ↗	The Bull Run Watershed Program manages Portland's federally designated primary drinking water source through the Water Bureau. FY 2026-27 proposes $12.1M in revenues and $12.1M in expenses, with $3.4M allocated to capital outlay. The program addresses climate impacts on reservoir storage, operates/maintains systems, and implements equity initiatives including free education programs and cultural resource protection work with Native American tribes.
[doc] Bureau Support.	pp. 954-955 ↗	Bureau Support provides administrative and support functions for the Water Bureau, managing business operations, compliance, and strategic alignment. The program focuses on equitable service delivery, climate change response including worker protection during extreme weather, and carbon emissions reduction. Total budget declined from $2.16B to $1.39B between 2025-26 and 2026-27 with no significant program changes. Services span accounting, contract administration, property management, public involvement, and survey/right-of-way functions.
[doc] Conduits/Transmission	pp. 956-957 ↗	The Conduits/Transmission Mains Program manages Portland's water distribution from the Bull Run Watershed and Columbia South Shore Well Field to buried reservoirs across the city. The 2026-27 budget is $103.1 million, with 92% ($92.1M) funded through the Water Construction Fund. Capital outlay of $96.7 million supports infrastructure resilience against climate-related risks including flooding, landslides, and wildfire. The Water Bureau emphasizes equity considerations in contracting and workforce development.
[doc] Customer Services	pp. 958-959 ↗	Customer Services manages billing and collections for 195,400 active water, sewer, and stormwater accounts. The 2026-27 proposed budget allocates $44,981,155 in total revenues and $43,739,390 in program expenses. Key initiatives include Advanced Metering Infrastructure with customer portal, expanded equity-focused financial assistance for low-income customers, and climate resilience efforts targeting net-zero emissions by 2050.
[doc] Data Management	pp. 960-961 ↗	The Data Management Program manages water system infrastructure information through Records Management, GIS, CADD, and CMMS systems to support asset evaluation and customer service. The 2026-27 budget shows external revenues of $6.4M (new) and total program expenses declining to $5.8M from $7.9M, with personnel costs dropping from $4.2M to $2.5M. No significant program changes are planned.
[doc] Distribution Mains	pp. 962-963 ↗	Distribution Mains manages approximately 2,260 miles of drinking water pipes (1.5-36 inches diameter, materials include cast iron, steel, ductile iron) delivering water from terminal reservoirs to hydrants and services. The 2026-27 budget increases significantly to $37.2M from $3.7M in 2025-26, primarily driven by $26.2M in Water Construction Fund revenues and increased personnel costs ($19.7M). Services include Fulton Pump Main Replacement, Outer Powell Safety Project Phase 2, leak location, flushing, and repairs. The program uses Equity Data Toolkit to inform equitable infrastructure planning.
[doc] Employee Investment	pp. 964-965 ↗	The Employee Investment program provides training and professional development for Water Bureau staff, including state-mandated certifications, mandatory city trainings, OSHA compliance, and climate change response education. The 2026-27 budget allocates $4.3M in Water Fund revenues, with total program expenses of $3.6M (down from $4.4M in 2025-26). No significant changes are planned.
[doc] Field Support	pp. 966-967 ↗	The Water Bureau's Field Support program enables field crews to complete system maintenance and manages asset management, inventory, and a 450+ vehicle fleet. The 2026-27 proposed budget shows total revenues of $11.1M (up from $325K in 2025-26) with program expenses of $10.2M. The bureau is working toward net-zero fleet emissions by 2050, currently operating 6 electric vehicles.
[doc] Fountains	pp. 968-969 ↗	The Fountains program operates 127 drinking fountains (including historic Benson Bubblers from 1912) and 19 decorative/interactive fountains throughout Portland. The program provides water access to all residents with particular benefit to people experiencing homelessness in the Central City district. FY 2026-27 proposed budget is $1.79M with no significant programmatic changes.
[doc] Grounds/Parks	pp. 970-971 ↗	The Water Bureau's Grounds/Parks program maintains landscaping and grounds around 175+ properties including pump stations, tanks, and reservoirs. FY 2026-27 proposes $763,200 in revenues and $762,486 in program expenses. The program supports staff access to facilities and public recreation, including HydroParks that serve underserved communities with low-income access to outdoor spaces.
[doc] Groundwater	pp. 972-973 ↗	The Groundwater Program manages Portland's Columbia South Shore Well Field as a supplemental and emergency backup water supply since 1984. Drawing from three regional aquifers, it provides climate resilience during storms, wildfires, and landslides, and augments Bull Run supply during stress conditions. FY 2026-27 revenue totals $9.4 million with $9.4 million expenses. Services include monitoring, operations, protection, and well improvement. The program prioritizes water quality and equity through translated education materials and expanded outreach to underserved communities. No significant changes planned for FY 2026-27.
[doc] Hydrants	pp. 974-975 ↗	The Water Bureau maintains over 14,000 hydrants for fire suppression, water quality management, and alternative water sources. The 2026-27 proposed budget totals $3,803,837, with personnel costs representing the largest expense at $2,821,474. Hydrants are positioned every 250–500 feet depending on zoning, and the program uses buffer analysis to identify service gaps in vulnerable census tracts. No significant changes are anticipated for the upcoming fiscal year.
[doc] Hydroelectric Power	pp. 976-977 ↗	The Hydroelectric Power Program administers Portland's Hydroelectric Project, generating clean energy from Bull Run powerhouses. FY 2026-27 proposes total revenues of $8.6M (with a new $2.4M PDX Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund) and expenses of $6.2M. The program supports regional clean energy goals by providing hydroelectric power to complement solar and wind resources. No significant program changes are planned for this fiscal year.
[doc] Meters	pp. 978-979 ↗	The Meters program manages Portland's 187,000 water meters (178,000 small, 9,000 large), enabling accurate residential, commercial, and fire-line water use measurement for billing. FY 2026-27 shows $3.68M projected revenues with $3.67M in program expenses, primarily personnel ($2.53M). The bureau is transitioning to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to provide customers multilingual access to water use data and alerts while addressing equity considerations.
[doc] Planning.	pp. 980-981 ↗	The Planning Program within Portland's Water Bureau manages strategic planning, supply and demand forecasting, capital improvement planning, and asset management. FY 2026-27 shows significant budget growth to $8M+ in revenues with integrated climate change and equity considerations across all functions. No major program changes are proposed.
[doc] Pump Stations/Tanks	pp. 982-983 ↗	The Water Bureau manages 36 pump stations and 58 storage tanks distributing water across Portland, including gravity-fed and elevated service areas. FY 2026-27 proposes $20.2M in revenues and $20.1M in expenses, with major spending on capital outlay ($8M), personnel ($7.5M), and materials/services ($4.6M). Key priorities include Net Zero emissions by 2050, energy efficiency improvements, and equitable infrastructure maintenance across all neighborhoods.
[doc] Security/Emergency Management	pp. 984-985 ↗	The Security/Emergency Management Program protects Portland's water system and prepares for systemwide emergencies, including response to climate-related disasters. The program coordinates with the Regional Water Providers Consortium and culturally specific partners to ensure equitable emergency preparedness and recovery, particularly for vulnerable populations. FY 2026-27 proposed budget totals $3.57M with no significant program changes planned.
[doc] Services	pp. 986-987 ↗	The Water Bureau's Services program focuses on emergency management, equity-centered water resilience, and service maintenance with a 2026-27 budget of $11.9M. Revenue increases from $9.4M in 2025-26, while personnel costs rise to $7.5M. The program emphasizes emergency preparedness for vulnerable populations and overlays service line condition data with demographic information to assess equity impacts.
[doc] Terminal Reservoirs	pp. 988-989 ↗	Terminal Reservoirs manages five in-town enclosed storage facilities (Powell Butte, Kelly Butte, Washington Park, Mayfair, Sam Jackson) serving as primary water distribution points and emergency reserves for Portland. The 2026-27 budget totals $1.07M in revenue and $1.07M in expenses, with capital outlay dropping to zero from $1.8M. No program changes are planned.
[doc] Valves/Gates/Regulators	pp. 990-991 ↗	The Water Bureau manages 1,800 large valves (>12"), 60,000 small valves, and 600 pressure-regulating valves to enable maintenance isolation, maintain system pressure, and protect crew safety. The 2026-27 proposed budget is $1,960,220 entirely from Water Fund revenues, with largest expenses in personnel ($1,225,715). No significant program changes planned; bureau maintains equity-focused valve condition data overlaid with demographic information.
[doc] Water Efficiency	pp. 992-993 ↗	The Water Efficiency program sustains long-term water resource availability through three efforts: demonstrating efficient state-regulated water use, supporting customer efficiency initiatives (particularly low-income and small business customers), and reducing system losses and leakage. The program supports Portland's Net Zero emissions goal by 2050 and ensures vulnerable communities have equitable access to conservation strategies through partnerships with culturally specific organizations. The 2026-27 proposed budget is $2.08M with no significant changes planned.
[doc] Water Program Treatment	pp. 994-995 ↗	The Water Program Treatment ensures drinking water potability across the service area through Headworks, Lusted Hill, and groundwater facilities using chlorination, pH adjustment, and chloramination. The program addresses climate change risks including storm and post-fire turbidity events, with particular focus on vulnerable populations and lead/copper prevention. FY 2026-27 proposes $409.7M in revenues and $393.8M in capital outlay, with no significant program changes.
[doc] Water Quality & Regulatory Compliance	pp. 996-997 ↗	The Water Quality & Regulatory Compliance program ensures Portland's drinking water system meets federal and state regulatory standards under the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. With $10.52M in expenses and $10.62M in external revenues for 2026-27, the program provides lab services, regulatory monitoring, distribution system protection, and backflow monitoring. Climate change and equity considerations inform service delivery and community communication.

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